294 EECOKD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 



the eruption took place throiigk the waters of the sea, the amount of 

 solid matters which reached the upper atmosphere was inconsiderable. 

 And as this eruption was followed by observations of the blue sun and 

 red after glows at Palermo, he infers that the dust from Krakatoa could 

 not have been a prominent factor in the production of the red sun-glows 

 which attracted so much attention in 1883. (Comi)t. Eend., cii, iOGO.) 



" Naturen" also called attention to the relation between red sun-glows 

 noted in Scandinavia in 1G3G and 1783 and eruptions of Skapta Jokul 

 in Iceland. (Nature, xxxiii, 137.) 



In the president's address at the meeting in November, 1885, the 

 Krakatao Committee of the Koyal Society was reported to have their 

 work in a good state of forwardness, the detailed work having been di- 

 vided between five subcommittees. 



The president's address in November, 1886, states that by working in 

 connection with a similar committee from the Royal Meteorological So- 

 ciety the work is now nearly completed. Consideration of the sea dis- 

 turbances, begun and carried on by Sir F. Evans, but interrui)ted by 

 his death, has been completed by his successor in the office of hydrog- 

 rapher, Captain Wharton. The report on air disturbance by General 

 Strachey and on geology by Professor Judd, as also that on sunsets and 

 atmospheric phenomena, by Hon. Eollo Eussell and Professor Archi- 

 bald, are nearly ready in manuscript, and the completed publication maj' 

 no doubt be expected at an early day. (Nature, xxxv, 114.) 



The French translation of Yerbeek's work on Krakatoa was completed 

 in 1886, forming an octavo volume of 567 pages, printed at Batavia, ac- 

 companied by forty- three maps and plates, and an album of twenty-five 

 I)lates, published by the National Institute of Geography in Bruxelles. 

 It is characterized by Daubree- as " Un document classique dans les 

 archives des volcans." (Compt. Rend., cii, 1139.) 



Edmond Cotteau has described Krakatoa and the Straits of Sunda 

 as seen in the expedition of Breon and Corthals, in 1884, the article be- 

 ing illustrated with numerous views taken from the album accompany- 

 ing Verbeck's volume. (Le Tour du JVIonde, li, 113.) 



In September, 1885, J. M. Alexander, with J. S.Emerson, visited the 

 crater of Mokuaweoweo, on Mauna Loa. He notes the curious fact that 

 this volcano has had frequent eruptions from craters situated on the rim 

 of the great central pit, so that lava streams have poured down inside 

 the crater as well as outside. Having determined the position of 

 over fifty small craters, he finds them apparently situated on a series of 

 parallel fissures running in a direction S. 40° to 60° E., although a few 

 are in lines running N. 50° E. He states that the " major axis of the 

 great craters is generally at right angles" to the main trend of the group. 

 This is certainly true of Kilauea and Mokuaweoweo, of which he says 

 also that in both the highest walls are on the western side and the action 

 is working toward the southwest, the most active craters being in each 

 case in the southwest end of the caldera. (Nature, xxxiv,.232.) 



